The Dark Brotherhood: Expanding the Family
by ghostanimal
Summary: The Listener Samar has just discovered that she is pregnant with Cicero's child. Despite some fear, Samar's excited. But will the jester feel the same way? And will this baby help them come to terms with their feelings for each other? Babette thinks so.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of the Skyrim game.

This is my first Skyrim story. I'm a HUGE fan of Cicero. Huge fan as in, I am one of those insane fangirls when it comes to him. I love the Listener/Cicero pairing, and since there just aren't many around, I'm hoping that by adding to the small collection, I can increase interest and therefore, increase Listener/Cicero writers. The rating of this fiction is lower than the game rating, because from the plot-line, not much of an above T rating violence is going on. Not much sexual stuff is going on because, although I'm cool with reading it, I can't write sex stuff. I get too embarrassed/uncomfortable.

* * *

"Listener, what is troubling you? Why won't you let humble Cicero help?"

"I SAID GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

Something shattered against the wall. Nazir and Babette paid no attention. They were used to the quarrels between the Listener and Keeper. Babette continued to calmly read her new book on alchemy as Nazir expertly measured spices. Aventus jumped at first, but quickly relaxed and continued sharping a new blade. He proved to be great at smithing, able to make custom blades that were sharp. "Perfect for stabbing!" Cicero had once cheerfully declared.

"Another lover's quarrel?" he guessed.

"Probably," Babette replied.

It had been nearly five years after the assassination of the Emperor. Aventus was their first official new member since said assassination. Although the current youngest at fifteen, he had been eager to become a member of the Dark Brotherhood family as opposed to the Honorhall Orphanage. The woman who now ran it was dearly kind, but it did not mean that there still wasn't enough money coming in to support all the half-starving children. She made due the best she could. After joining, Aventus requested that they spared some spare coin to the children there. Nazir agreed, seeing the potential in this. Having very friendly relations with the Thieves guild, with great thanks to the Listener, they informed Nazir of the children that showed the potential to become a new Dark Brother. So far, Nazir saw five possible future dark brothers, and two future dark sisters. But for now, they were young. Babette had insisted they enjoy their childhood. They would recruit them when they entered their teen years.

Aside from Aventus, they had four more. They no longer lived in the Dawnstar Sanctuary however. A dark elf had insisted on fixing up and reopening the Falkreath Sanctuary. The old members, still haunted by the tragedy there, denied it. Argument after argument brought chaos until Babette suggested they go to another Sanctuary that had been closed and abandoned a hundred years ago. They had left nearly two and a half years ago. Rarely they received news from them, but they seemed to fare well on their own. They had a alchemist and two great killers, the last one showing potential but was still new and unsure of himself when they had left.

Nazir and Babette payed no attention, Aventus sparing only a second's glance when the Listener burst through the door and angrily stormed past them into another room. With a mad smile on his face accompanied by confused eyes, the jester followed her like a lost puppy.

"Listener," he whined. "Tell Cicero what troubles you so. Did Cicero do something wrong? Did Cicero not serve the Listener as she had commanded? Is Mother unhappy with poor Cicero?"

"I said, LEAVE ME ALONE!" the Listener screamed, the sentence ending in a thu'um. Babette simply lifted her book as Cicero went sliding across the table and laying upside down on the other side. The Listener turned on her heel and stormed down the hall. She slammed the door to her and Cicero's room shut.

This was completely normal. Cicero and the Listener would argue, have a small slap fight, scream at each other, and then soon Cicero would do something sweet (and in Babette's opinion, romantic) for the Listener, causing them to make up and spend some alone time in their room. Their relationship was different, based on who you asked. The Listener simply said "No" when you asked them if they were a couple. Cicero on the other hand, would make his wide insane grin, clap his hands and do a dance while cheerfully telling you "Cicero lives to serve, and he will serve his Mother and the Listener until Mother takes him home!" So in short, you never really get a clear answer from the generally silent Listener/Dragonborn and the insanity of the Keeper/Jester. Nazir believed that Cicero was just really devoted to serving his Listener, while Babette was positive that although they wouldn't admitted, Samar loved the fool and Cicero loved her nearly as much as he loved Mother.

"Unchild, why is Listener so upset with poor Cicero?" Cicero asked Babette as he stood and leaned pathetically over the table. "Cicero only tries to serve and please her but the Listener is not pleased."

This also happened often. Without looking up from her book, Babette gave her usual reply.

"Just leave Samar be, Keeper," she told him, flipping the page. "Maybe she just wants to be alone. The Listener enjoys being solitude, and maybe she just needs some time for herself."

"Solitude...lonely Cicero could tell you a thing or two about...solitude," Cicero replied, his voice sounding slightly depressed. His insane grin was gone only momentarily.

"Yeah. I don't know how she can put up with sharing that much time with you," Nazir chimed in. "I would have killed you years ago. I'm sorry, but I would ignore the Five Tenants."

His insane smile back, Cicero gave a giggle and did a small dance.

"Cicero knows how to cheer the Listener!" he chirped, giving another dance before he made a mad dash for the front door. He left and the door shut, leaving them all in silence save for bubbling water and Aventus working the forge he had made himself. It was only temporary. Aventus paused in his hammering to listen.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, putting his hammer down.

Babette looked up, straining to hear what Aventus was talking about. Nazir paused, just for a second to listen before he continued stirring and adding spices to the food.

"It's just Samar," he informed them, slowly stirring the pot with care.

"She's crying," Babette said after a few more seconds of listening. Aventus's hand fiddled with the handle on the hammer. Babette looked at Nazir, who began to stir more rapidly under her gaze. She rolled her eyes and carefully bookmarked her page. "Boys."

"It's hard enough listening to him sing and dance all day and hearing them at night, I don't want to get even more involved in their bizarre relationship," Nazir insisted as he began to stir slower when Babette stood to go to Samar's room.

"Listener?" Babette said gently, lightly tapping her pale knuckles against the door.

"Go away you stupid jester!"

"It's Babette," she said. Silence before Samar opened the door. Babette took pity, seeing the Listener's eyes red from crying. "Listener, what's wrong?"

"Come in," Samar said softly. Babette walked in and plopped on the bed. Samar closed the door before she walked over and made herself comfortable on the bed next to the pillows. They were silent. "Where's the fool?"

"He ran out the door, shouting about knowing how to cheer you up," Babette replied. Samar gave a sad smile.

"He's so sweet sometimes," she murmured softly.

"You two are so cute together," Babette said with a wide smile.

"We're not a couple," Samar insisted. "He just serves me."

"He serves you in very interesting ways," Babette teased. Samar's cheeks blushed red as she smoothed her hands through her long black hair. "Seriously though, Samar, what's troubling you?"

"I can't go on anymore contracts," Samar murmured. "On Mother's orders."

"I hardly see why this is Cicero's fault," the unchild replied with a small frown. Samar shot a look of death.

"It it entirely his fault," she scowled.

"How?"

"Babette...the Night Mother just informed me that I'm about three weeks pregnant."

Babette's eyes lit up brightly as she jumped to her feet, bouncing and clapping.

"Oh congratulations! We're going to have a baby in the Sanctuary!" Babette squealed. She had always wanted children, but due to the age she became a vampire, it just was not possible.

"Shhh!" Samar hushed her. Babette could see the pain in Samar's dark green eyes. "I don't want anybody to know just yet."

"Samar, you should be excited. This is a baby, a little bundle of joy, a symbol of just how much two people love each other," Babette said, a tad confused as the excited grin was swept off her face and her hands dropped to her sides.

"Firstly, I don't love Cicero. I never planned this. Secondly, how am I supposed to raise the baby and be the Listener? And never take on another contract?" Samar began to tear up again.

"Are you sure the Night Mother just didn't want you to take on any contracts while you carried?" Babette asked. Her eyes suddenly grew wide and a horrified gasp escaped her as a thought came to her. "Wait...You're not thinking of..."

"I asked Mother if she willed me to carry this child to term or if I should terminate it," Samar said shortly. "She said that he or she was considered another one of her children, and killing the baby would be considered a violation of one of the Five Tenants."

"Do you want the baby?" Babette asked softly. Samar was silent for a few moments.

"I had been thinking about it...and yes...I do. I really do. The more I imagined myself as a mother, the more I grew to love the idea...but I can't help but fell that I can't be a loving mother and a cold-blooded killer at the same time. Have women ever done that?"

"You're Dragonborn as well, dear Listener." Babette smiled softly at her. "You can be a very wonderful mother and still strike both fear and dagger into hearts. You can do anything."

"I suppose," Samar said softly, playing with her gloves. Silence passed over them. "Do you know what I'm mainly afraid of?"

"What?" Babette asked, honestly unsure of her exact fears. She had a small suspicion that she was still afraid she wouldn't be a good mom.

"Cicero." That she wasn't expecting.

"What about him?" Babette asked. "I'm sure he'll want Cicero Jr. Or Samar Jr."

Samar shook her head. "Not that. Babette, he's not normal."

"Well duh."

"No no no! I mean...when Aventus first came, he was about ten years old. When he first found Mother in her coffin, he was fascinated. A kid being a kid, he began to explore the coffin. Cicero was so furious, he left a horrid bruise on his wrist from dragging him out. Anybody who slightly upsets him has the chance of getting their throat slit. He's unpredictable. How am I supposed to know that he can be gently with our baby? I know he would never mean it, but..."

"I know what you mean," Babette said, saving her from having to finish. "Well, several things can happen. You two could get your motherly and fatherly instincts and be just fine. Cicero and you may get the new parent freakouts and become extremely overprotective. Cicero may become as obsessed with taking care of the baby as he does with the Night Mother and you. To be honest, there are so many things that could happen."

Before Samar could respond, Cicero burst through the door.

"Listener! I have returned!" he exclaimed cheerfully. He handed her a silver necklace with a sapphire stone that had a few specs of blood on it. "Cicero was walking along the trail when he saw one of the overgrown cats walking with this one. She tried to hit poor Cicero with a glass sword, but Cicero was much faster. He slit her neck and found something beautiful for his Listener!"

Samar sniffed as she wiped her eyes again and accepting the necklace. The Jester's grin of insanity dropped when he saw the redness around her eyes.

"Listener, why were you crying? Tell poor Cicero who made you cry? Cicero will STABSTABSTABSTABSTAB him until he is no more for hurting his poor, sweet Listener."

Samar smiled slightly as she put the necklace on.

"It's nothing now. Don't worry about it," she murmured, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss the keeper's cheek, his insane smile returning as he gave one of his mad laughs.

"Did Cicero make the Listener happy?" he asked hopefully, that mad grin remaining on his face.

"Very happy," Samar admitted. Babette smiled as she slipped out of the room, unnoticed by the not-couple.

And Samar said she didn't love him. They were both fools.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of the Skyrim game.

* * *

The next morning, Babette was in Samar and Cicero's room. Before Samar had ever been informed of her pregnancy (which she now suspected was told to her because of this), she had been badly injured trying to kill her charge, an Argonian that completely robbed a stall in Riften. Aventus was carrying her potions for her, since Babette wasn't exactly built for manual labor. He set them down on the nightstand next to Babette, who began to shift through them to make sure she had all she was needed. Samar was lying on top of the bed covers while Cicero was standing on the other side, doing an impatient dance.

"I got everything I should need Aventus. You and Cicero should probably leave. Most of the wound is under her shirt," Babette said. Aventus nodded and turned to leave. Cicero didn't move, save for his dance. Babette began to help Samar take off her armor when she noticed the jester still dancing in place to a song only he could hear. "Keeper, you need to leave."

"Cicero can't leave the Listener's side," he insisted.

"Keeper, most of the wounds are on her chest," Babette informed him. Cicero made no movements to suggest his departure.

"Cicero has seen the Listener naked," he replied. Samar's face flushed red. It turned even darker when Cicero just had to add, "Cicero has seen Listener naked many, many times."

"I know," Babette replied dryly, eyes glancing for a second at Samar's still flat stomach.

"Then Cicero can stay?"

"No! Leave!"

"Cicero, I just finished sharpening some knives. You can test them out in the torture room for me to make sure they're sharp enough," Aventus spoke up. Cicero looked a bit torn.

"Cicero, I order you to leave," Samar growled, fanning herself with her hand in an attempt to make her face go back to its original color.

"Humble Cicero lives to serve," he replied. He kissed her forehead before following Aventus. Samar's blush faded quickly as they left.

"When are you going to tell him?" Babette asked as she continued to check out Samar's healing injury. It looked much better, but there was still healing to be done.

"When will I start showing?" Samar asked, looking down at her still very flat stomach.

"I...don't...know," Babette admitted, her cheeks beginning to flush red.

"How do you not know?" the Listener asked in amazement.

"Well sister, I may have been in the Dark Brotherhood for a very long time, but not one woman in my Sanctuary really had or raised her baby there. Granted, about five pregnancies occurred. Three miscarried quickly, one left the Brotherhood to focus her life around her child, and the last one died only an hour after birth. The last pregnancy was dealt by Festus," Babette replied, washing the wound before lightly spreading her potions on it.

"Festus?" Samar replied slowly. Her eyes widened some. "You mean..."

"Astrid and Arnbjorn named their daughter Midna before they had to put her to rest. We're not sure how or why she died. She seemed healthy when she was born. This was about a year before you came," Babette said. Seeing Samar nervously place a hand on her lower stomach, Babette continued. "I'm sure the Night Mother would protect your child. You're her Listener, the one who made the Dark Brotherhood a name to be feared again."

"I supposed," Samar murmured softly. "I just hope I don't have to completely give up contracts."

"Maybe it's time you should," Babette said quietly. At Samar's hurtful look, she added, "Well Sammy, you need to face the facts. You're going to be a mommy. Astrid was going to retire, up until...you know. Plus, if we loose you...we loose a lot. The Listener, a mother, the Dragonborn, the one who gave the Dark Brotherhood respect again, the one who helped reshape the Thieves Guild, and Cicero looses the love of his life."

"We're not in love," Samar corrected. "And...I suppose your right...but can't I take some contracts?"

"I can't see why you can't once the baby comes," Babette said thoughtfully. "But not nearly as many as you do now. You'll have a baby to care for, and it would be more beneficial to keep the Listener close to the Night Mother. Nazir talked about bringing two of the orphans from Honorhall later this month when he brings them their donation, since they'll be thirteen. And there is that really good alchemist and his student there, I was thinking, since you told me the fantastic news, of going down there and seeing what potions are safe for the expecting, and maybe find a doctor to learn more about childbirth. I honestly know little to nothing."

"While you two are gone is probably the best time for me to sit down and tell Cicero," Samar reasoned, mostly talking to herself. "I'll send Aventus out for an errand or contract so that I can let him have his possible freakout without hurting anybody."

"That sounds reasonable. And if he turns on you, which I highly doubt, you're still early enough that you probably escape to town before he hurts you," Babette said, handing Samar her shirt back.

"When do you leave for Riften?"

"About two weeks."

"Will I start showing before then?" Samar asked again, rubbing her hand on her stomach, as if Babette suddenly learned this information. Babette shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you want me to tell Nazir?" Babette asked. "Tell him on the way to Riften?"

"Can you tell Cicero too?" Samar wondered hopefully. Babette laughed.

"He's your fool. You have to deal with him," she said with a smile.

* * *

Two weeks later, Babette and Nazir had loaded up the wagon so that Babette could sleep in her coffin on the way. Samar also told them of a contract they could do while they were there. A widower wanted revenge on the man who kidnapped and did unspeakable things to his only daughter.

A day after they left, the Night Mother told Samar of a kill requested by a woman in Whiterun that wanted the death of her ex-boyfriend. She had Aventus take Shadowmere to Whiterun, the demonic horse needing the exercise on account that Samar herself hadn't ridden the creature since she discovered her pregnancy. Samar watched Aventus take off as she normally did, questioning if he would be okay. Had she given him enough health potions? Did she make sure that he would find the correct woman? Would Shadowmere be able to get him here to there safely? Did she give him enough coin for the inn? Had she packed him enough food for the journey? This wasn't his first assignment, but he was still much younger and smaller than the rest of them. Babette had her vampire nature to help her. Aventus was a teenage boy.

She went back inside the Sanctuary once Aventus had ridden out of her view. Cicero was singing cheerfully about breaking lutes and setting people on fire when he noticed her coming back in. Walking past him she went to get a sweetroll. She had been getting a small craving for them ever since the Night Mother told her the unexpected news. As she took a bite, she felt Cicero wrap his arms around her and hug her from behind. She was thankful that she wasn't showing at all, nor could feel the baby in her womb yet.

"Cicero and the Listener are all alone! Except for Mother that is," he told her. He took notice of her sweetroll. "Cicero is hungry...need a sweetroll...or a carrot."

Samar held in a giggle as she split her sweetroll in half and gave one to him. He let go of her to take it and eat it.

"What does the Listener want to do now?" Cicero asked the second he finished. A thought occurred to him and he bounced up and down childishly, clapping his hands in excitement as he danced around her. "Cicero knows! Cicero knows! Let's kill someone!"

Samar had to smile at his enthusiasm and spirit. She wondered if their child would have his energy level. Divines help her if he or she did. She almost agreed, but then she remembered her situation.

"I can't," she replied. Cicero's insane grin fell.

"What's wrong Listener? You have not killed for nearly two weeks since you last yelled at poor Cicero. Did Cicero do something wrong?" Cicero looked really concerned.

"No, Cicero didn't do anything wrong. I just don't feel like killing right now," Samar said quietly as she eased herself into a chair.

"Is the Listener feeling ill?" Cicero asked, pulling off a glove and pressing his hand to her forehead.

"Cicero I'm fine, I just need-"

"You're warm!" Cicero yelled. Before Samar could finish her sentence, Cicero had scooped her up bridal style and had rushed her to their room. He put her on the bed and immediately began to rummage through the potions Babette had kept on the nightstand for Samar to take while she was away. Her wound was healed, but she left them just in case. "Cicero never cared much to learn for alchemy, but Cicero can find something to help the Listener."

"CICERO!" Samar screamed. Cicero immediately stopped and stared at her. "Cicero, I'm feeling fine. Just...sit down. I need to talk to you."

Cicero sat on the bed crosslegged, across from the Listener. His smile returned when she motioned for him to sit next to him. He shifted and laid next to her, comfortable against the pillows. Samar leaned back and sighed heavily.

"What is it that you need to tell Cicero, my Listener?"

Samar sighed a bit heavily. There was no way this conversation could be avoided. It was not possible for her to go through a pregnancy, give birth and raise a child without Cicero knowing. Plus, it was his child too. He needed to know.

She just wished telling him didn't make her feel so scared. Funny. She destroyed dragons, caves full of bandits, fought in the Imperial Legion, and killed many for gold. But yet telling the jester that they were going to have a baby scared her more than any of that.

"Cicero, you're going to be a daddy," Samar said, avoiding his gaze by staring up at the ceiling. "I'm about five weeks pregnant."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of the Skyrim game.

* * *

There was, for once, complete silence from the jester. Samar avoided looking at him still. Five minutes passed, feeling like five hours. Part of her wished that Babette was here to make the pregnancy news seem exciting and happy for Cicero.

Once those five minutes passed, she felt Cicero's hand lightly rest on her stomach.

"Is the Listener sure?" he asked. She still didn't look at him.

"The Night Mother told me so that I wouldn't accept contracts and get hurt," Samar murmured. A small chuckle came from Cicero.

"Cicero was wondering why the Listener was passing all of the contracts to the Redguard, unchild and the boy!" he laughed. Samar felt a bit more relaxed. "So what does the Listener want to do then?"

"What do you mean?" Samar asked, turning to face him for the first time since she told him. He had his trademark jester grin.

"Listener doesn't want to...rid herself of the child...right?" Cicero asked.

"NO!" Samar nearly screamed, sitting up straight in the bed.

"Cicero was just making sure Listener," he said, giggling as he pulled the Listener back to lay on the pillows.

"Wait. Cicero, do you want this baby?" she wondered, staring at him with wide eyes full of worry.

"Cicero has never thought of having children," he admitted thoughtfully, the smile growing a bit wider. "He doesn't suppose it would be all that bad. Cicero enjoyed playing with the little ones in the holds when sweet Listener would take poor Cicero on contracts with her. They love to sing, dance and play with Cicero."

Samar breathed a sigh of relief. She had nearly forgotten her impatience towards Cicero when she would turn and find him playing hide and go seek or tag with the local children after lives had been taken. This was especially true in Riften. If she lost Cicero in Riften, he was bound to be singing and dancing in Honorhall. Cicero seemed to be good with entertaining children. Having and raising them was completely different from just entertaining them though.

"So you're not mad?"

"Cicero could never be angry with his sweet, sweet Listener!" Cicero exclaimed with a cheerful laugh. "Cicero must inquire something though. If Cicero and Listener are having a child, does Cicero need to marry Listener?"

"WHAT!" Within seconds, Samar was standing with her back against the wall with Cicero sitting casually on the bed. "Marry!"

"Well, many parents in Skyrim marry before having children. Cicero just needs to know if he should marry Listener," Cicero replied innocently. Samar felt her eyes twitch.

"People marry when they're in love. We're not in love, you idiot!" she hissed.

"But Cicero does love the Listener," Cicero replied. Samar glared at him as he stood to his feet.

"No. No. You don't. You just serve me," she muttered.

"Yes, Cicero lives to serve and will serve Mother and the Listener until Mother brings him home," he said, dancing to a tune in his mind as he spoke. "But when he serves Listener, following her every order to the exact detail with care, he does it not just because he is Keeper, but because Cicero cares. Cicero loves serving the Listener because he loves sweet, sweet Listener. He's waited many years for the Listener, and Mother picked a very smart, sweet and beautiful Listener to help Cicero care for Mother."

Samar stood, dumbfounded at Cicero. She honestly had no idea that the insane jester actually loved her. Every single time they ever did anything intimate, she always believe it was for the same reason he would fetch her a sweetroll; She was the Listener, and the jester lived to serve not just Mother, but the Listener too. In her mind, he was always performing his duties as Keeper by doing as she requested.

But doing it because he actually harbored feelings for her. By Sithis, she never imagined.

She started to say something, but she couldn't form the words. Her eyes never breaking contact with his, she left him alone in their room and left the Sanctuary. Now that she just needed to get away, she regretted insisting to Aventus to take Shadowmere. She walked along the snowy shore towards Dawnstar. She saw the small town and remembered the first time she visited. Everybody was plagued with nightmares. Now, they slept easy at night without the fears of nightmares so horribly they haunted them when awake. Samar began to shiver by the time she reached the Windpeak Inn. Her stomach rolled in guilt. She wanted nothing more than to get so drunk that she wouldn't even remember Cicero's name. But things have changed. A lot has changed. She was pregnant now. At least for the next eight months, no more drinking. No more contracts. No more killing. No fights. No stealing. Nothing. Just sitting in the Sanctuary getting fat and unattractive, eating sweetrolls all day and listening to a fool sing and mutter to himself.

Divines, she better be able to drink, kill, steal and take up contracts when this baby was born. Otherwise, she pretty much lost her life. Exchanged the life of an exciting adventurer, Listener, the DRAGONBORN...to be a stay at home mother. Dull, dull, dull. It reminded her of what one of the guards right here in Dawnstar once told her, about how he used to be an adventurer like her, traveling the world, climbing the mountains and conquering the beasts of Skyrim. But then he took an arrow to the knee, shattering the once exciting life he held and introducing him to the dull world of being a city guard.

She couldn't forget Amren though, from Whiterun. He trained her to be better with her one-handed weapon. He used to live a life similar to an adventurer, being in the military. He left for the sake of his family. Samar remembered talking to him about it.

_"Sometimes, I miss the soldier's life," he admitted to her, "but when I hold my daughter in my arms, I know I made the right choice."_

Samar then had smiled, and with a laugh, she told him how she adored children, but she didn't really see herself as having them. Protecting them from harm, but never really thought about having and raising them.

Until now.

Samar felt tears begin to pour down her cheers. She was beginning to feel sick. Nauseous. Confused. Depressed. A wave of emotions overwhelmed her, and although she rarely cried, she was now sobbing like a depressed drunk. The owner of the Mortle and Pestle, Frida, rushed to her and immediately began to attempt to calm her down. Samar never really visited her shop often, since she had Babette to make her potions. But the few times she talked to her, she immediately took a liking to the poor, elderly widow.

Frida was a good listener. Samar didn't spill everything, but she sobbed about how she was worried her unexpected pregnancy was going to ruin her days of adventuring. When she had calmed down some, her sobs reduced to soft sniffles and lone tears, Frida comforted her.

"Children are wonderful dear," she explained. "They're nothing like killing dragons or climbing the mountains of Skyrim, but they're a whole new adventurer of their own. Trust me, once you have your baby in your arms, you'll be glad you became a mother. I had seven unique adventures with seven children in my lifetime. They all moved away, but they come to visit with my grandchildren. Grandchildren are an even bigger blessing. It'll be alright. Difficult to adjust to, but soon you'll be very satisfied being a mother. I couldn't imagine a life any other way if I never had mine."

After a bit more talking, Samar was finally calmed enough to feel ready to go home to Cicero. The fool was probably going insane with worry as it is. She thanked Frida, who generously offered to help her with any baby-related illnesses, concerns or worries, and walked back to the Sanctuary.

"Cicero?" Samar called out when she entered the Sanctuary. "Cicero, I'm back."

"In here Listener!" Cicero called out cheerfully, his voice full of song and dance. Samar wiped her eyes again to assure that Cicero would not know that she had been crying. Taking a deep breath, she wandered to their room. He was standing outside their closed door, dancing to the songs playing in his mind. Upon seeing her, his small smile turned into a huge grin. "I have a surprise for you, Listener!"

As he spoke, he flung open their door. A little surprised, she slowly walked inside. Tears filled her eyes when she took in the sight of the room. Their room was filled with baby stuff. A baby bed, a few baby toys in a baby chest, a baby dresser, everything a baby would need.

"Cicero...where did you...?"

"The Redguard smiths in Dawnstar had their baby nearly six years ago. Their baby isn't a baby anymore, ohnonono! Their baby is a healthy young child now! They didn't need anymore baby furniture so Cicero took it upon himself to take it from their attic!" he chirped, dancing happily. Samar's tears of joy overflowed and ran down her cheeks. "No no no, Listener! Cicero killed nobody to get baby's things! Don't cry, dear, sweet Listener."

He stopped dancing and put his hands on Samar's face, wiping away tears as they fell down.

"Cicero, I'm crying out of happiness," she murmured, tears still running down her cheeks. "You're so sweet."

"Humble Cicero lives to serve," he replied, kissing her softly. Samar smiled and turned to better take in what Cicero brought her. Cicero wrapped his arms around her from behind, hands resting gently on her stomach.

* * *

"Seren and Rustleif must have built this themselves," Babette observed when Samar and Cicero showed them what the jester had stolen. Aventus has already seen it when had had come back from his contract, congratulated the bizarre couple then went to sharpen his dagger. Cicero and Samar, out of their options, picked to not speak of Cicero's somewhat confession that he had feelings for her. The unchild and Redguard returned three weeks later after Samar told Cicero. Nazir didn't believe it until he saw the very faint baby bump Samar now had at nearly nine weeks. The news was now out and freely in the open: Samar and Cicero were having a baby. "This furniture looks really sturdy and well-built."

"Please tell me that you'll repaint it," Nazir requested, his eyes on the ugly shade of faded pink the blacksmith couple had decided to paint it. "Especially if it's a boy."

"It's a boy," Cicero told him.

"How do you know? It could be a girl," Babette pointed out.

"Cicero just knows," he said with a shrug of his shoulders before tapping his foot to an imaginary rhythm. Babette muttered something about a fool under her breath. Samar sighed some and sat down on the bed. The biggest problem she had with her pregnancy so far was the constantly exhaustion. Cicero was immediately at her side. "Is Listener feeling alright?"

"I'm fine. Just tired," Samar said, leaning to her side to relax on the pillows. She slowly closed her eyes.

"If you need me, I'm going to read the books the alchemist in Riften gave me. He couldn't talk long, so he just sold me his books. I read some on the way back. They hold information to make potions I never knew existed," Babette said, exiting.

"I'll go train the new recruits," Nazir said with a small grin. "A little lady with a love for a dagger she likes to use to stab squirrels and a young gentleman that favors a greatsword bigger than him. If you hear screams from the torture room, it's because of them."

After Babette and Nazir left, Cicero sat next to Samar, who wasn't quite asleep yet, but very closely drifting away. Lovingly, he stroked her hair. She flinched at first, but quickly relaxed. He laid down next to her, continuing to stroke her hair.

"Cicero loves Listener," he said quietly. No reaction. Samar was sleeping peacefully.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

I think my Danny Phantom fanfiction fans are starting to get pissed that I've updated this so quickly and haven't really written anything DP in a long tim.

* * *

Now entering week twenty-six, Samar was feeling more and more miserable, cranky and annoying to everybody save for Cicero. Her stomach had grown into a very noticeable bump. Cicero made a habit of rubbing her baby bump when they slept at night and after kissing her good morning, would kiss the bump. Although Cicero loved the bump, Samar hated it. It made her feel fat and unattractive, reminding her that she can't hunt and was "borrowing" clothing that Cicero owned, but never wore because she was too fat to fit into her own. It didn't help that Cicero hadn't gotten intimate with her since she told him, which helped add onto her feelings of being unattractive and fat.

She used to sit in the kitchen with Nazir and just talk with him. But now she couldn't. The smell of most foods made her stomach churn. Babette had a potion for that that wouldn't harm the baby, but one of the ingredients was hard to find. When she wasn't sitting in the kitchen with Nazir, she was helping Aventus make weapons. It was obviously not safe to handle white-hot metal while pregnant. Not to mention just sitting near him and the forge made her uncomfortably hot. She couldn't train the new recruits. It would put a bad strain on her body, thus hurting the baby. Now she was constantly with Babette, talking. She didn't handle the herbs, not only unsure of what she was doing, but some of them had a chance of hurting the baby.

Almost everything she loved to do risked harming the baby.

Being pregnant was incredibly dull.

Dull, dull, dull.

When she wasn't around them, Cicero was doing everything short of moving the sun so that the light wouldn't get in her eyes. If she had requested, she was positive he would attempt to do so. Every complain, groan of pain, or whine of frustration immediately brought him to her side, ready to fix the problem. When her feet had begun to swell, he was there ready to rub them. Back pain, he was already massaging her. Feeling nauseous, Cicero was prepared with the bucket before she could even ask. Samar had quickly found that for the longest time, it was Cicero that was constantly bothering her for attention. Now she found herself complaining just to complain so that he would give _her_ all of _his_ attention.

How awfully ironic.

Cicero didn't seem to mind. He did everything she requested and more, all the while maintaining his large, insane grin. If she wasn't mistaken, he LOVED how much she demanded his attention. Even when Samar was hitting her moments of complete manic depression and did nothing but cry, scream and use her thu'um on him for doing this to her, he was still there, ready to massage her feet or back when they began to ache again. He didn't care that Samar was perhaps the most cranky, demanding and emotionally unstable pregnant woman in Skyrim.

On another note, neither Samar nor Cicero have yet to bring up Cicero's words after her pregnancy announcement. Unknown to her, Cicero regularly told her that he loved her after she had went to sleep.

"I think that you ought to think about heading to Solitude until the baby comes," Babette announced, late one evening at the dinner table. The smell of the food made Samar feel a tad sick, but not too sick to still enjoy Nazir's cooking. Samar looked at her in bewilderment.

"Why?" she wanted to know.

"Because you're annoying us," Nazir spoke up.

"Nazir!" Babette scolded. "What Nazir is trying to say is, is that you're awfully bored here. There's not much for you to do here, and it looks like all the frustration of having nothing to do is really stressing you, which isn't good for the baby. Plus, it's probably best you give birth where an experienced midwife can help you." Babette eyed Samar's growing stomach. "You have about two and a half months."

"Cicero will go too!" the jester chirped cheerfully.

"You fool," Samar scowled. "You have to take care of the Night Mother."

Cicero looked extremely conflicted, but hide it behind his mad smile.

"There isn't any way you can convince me to care for the Night Mother while you're gone," Aventus spoke up quickly before anybody could even think about the idea. "I love the Night Mother, but I am not interested in oiling her. Especially...the hard to...reach spots."

"But who will care for the Listener?" he cried aloud. "Humble Cicero lives to serve, he should tag along so that he could serve Listener! Mother could come too!"

"Jordis can," Samar said thoughtfully. "She's my housecarl in my Solitude house. And I live near Elisif. We're very close, if Jordis can't do it, Elisif would surely welcome me to her home for a few months."

"But who will protect Listener on the way there? Listener's pregnant stomach won't stop bandits and thieves from harming her! It makes her an even more sought for target!" Cicero whined.

"How about you escort Samar there, and when she's close to delivery time, I can send you there?" Babette suggested. Cicero had to think this for a moment before nodding in approval.

"Cicero will stay for a few days there," he insisted. "Cicero must make sure the housecarl can care for his Listener."

"Longer you stay there, the quieter it will be here," Nazir commented.

"Alright, Cicero and Samar can go to Solitude, and Cicero can return in a week, then I'll let him know when to go," Babette re-ran over the generally idea of what they wished to do. "I suggest you leave tomorrow if you can. The sooner you get there, the quicker you can settle in."

As they finished eating, the topic switching to killing, Samar found herself excited for Solitude. She'll have Elisif and her new husband there, she was friendly with the shopkeepers and citizens. The cool, fresh air from the ocean would do wonders for when she felt sick. And although she couldn't participate, she could entertain herself watching the Legion practice in the courtyard, listen to some of the music from the college, perhaps go down the shipping yard and watch the ships go and leave port. She could watch the children playing. She could participate in the local gossip that Endaire and Corpulus liked to spread. Speaking of the woman, she would certainly sell some cute little outfits for the baby. Yes, there was much she could do in Solitude to cure her boredom.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

Late that next evening, Cicero had eagerly put the things Samar had packed for herself in the back of the wagon. She hadn't packed much. Cicero's clothes were beginning to get tight on her. They were only so much bigger than hers, and she was going to have to end up ordering some dresses from Endaire that accommodated her large stomach. She didn't bother taking any of the furniture. She was only staying in Solitude until the baby came, then coming right back. She could make do with the furniture already sitting in Proudspire. The only real thing Samar needed to take was gold. She had to nearly buy everything that she would need there when she arrived.

Although they didn't pack much, they had no choice but to take the wagon. The horse would be an uncomfortable ride for Samar, although most likely able to handle the extra weight. Samar probably carried heavier weapons. It would also allow Samar to nap on the way there. She was lying down in the back, propped up on a pillow Cicero had put in there and wrapped in extra furs.

"Cicero?" she called out. Thankfully, the winds were calm that day and they could chat easily.

"Yes, Listener?"

"When exactly did you decide that you loved me?" she asked, snuggling into the warm bear furs.

"Remember when sweet Listener decided to help Cicero fix his wagon wheel when he was taking Mother to her new home? Cicero knew that he and Listener would be best friends forever! Then when kind, loving Listener took pity on poor, humble Cicero and not only let Cicero live, but healed him too even though Astrid told Listener to send poor Cicero to the Void. Cicero was a tad disappointed that he wasn't going to go home to Mother, but he did get to go home to the Listener which is nearly as good."

Samar turned a bit red from the cold and the memory. He looked so pathetic on the floor that day, bleeding badly from the wound in his side, hunched over in pain and gasping for air. Plus she had read his journals, she knew the truth. How could she kill him when she knew just how loyal the jester was to the Night Mother?

"How could I kill the Keeper? There would be nobody to replace you and care for Mother," she replied simply.

"No, no, no. Keeper can be replaced. It took Mother many years before she picked Listener to break her silence," Cicero responded. Samar stayed silent for a bit.

"I'm going to nap," she muttered, pulling the covers over her head.

"Cicero will let you know when we reach Solitude...lonely Cicero could tell you a thing or two about solitude if you awake beforehand."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

I only put in how the two (Samar and Cicero) got involved because of a request by Shannon. (By the way, you should totally get an account and write Cicero/Listener with me :D )

* * *

Cicero somehow got them quicker than normal. That or sleeping greatly effected her concept of time. When she woke up, she was curled up in the expensive furs in the master bedroom. After laying in bed, enjoying the ocean breeze that was coming in through the window, she finally got up. The second she put her feet to the ground, they immediately seemed to swell slightly. Scowling in frustration, she slowly climbed down the stairs, the more stairs she descended, the louder the jester was laughing.

Soon she found the jester laughing as he ate a sweetroll, Sapphire covering her ears and glaring at him. Her housecarl was trying to drink her way into enjoying the jester.

"Thank the Divines you're here to save me," Sapphire scowled at her before pointing at Cicero. "Control it!"

"What are you doing here?" Samar asked, ignoring her comment as she slowly sat herself down next to her.

"When the Redguard came to ask Brynjolf about the normal thing with the orphans, he told us that the clown actually knocked you up," Sapphire replied, eying her stomach. "He was definitely not lying."

"So you came here to stare at me?" she snapped a bit bitterly. Sapphire laughed.

"Actually no. To congratulate you. I never thought being a mom would be as great as it is," she told her.

"But you don't miss the Thieves Guild?" Samar wondered. Sapphire nodded. Sapphire and Brynjolf had their first shortly before Samar went to permanently live at the Dark Brotherhood Falkreath Sanctuary. She claimed it was just easier, since Byrnjolf pretty much have the Guild running smoothly again and the Dark Brotherhood needed her more. This was true, but she didn't want to admit that she had the tiniest crush on Byrnjolf that she also wanted to leave behind. It had since faded.

"Well of course. I still do some dirty work for them when we need the extra gold or I have some spare time," she replied. "But I'd rather be at home. Always thought mothers exaggerated when they said that babies were like a gift from the Divines." Sapphire reached into her bag that was next to the table. "I also thought you'd like to save a few coin, so I brought a few of the kids' old baby clothes. They've all outgrown them."

"Aren't you two going to pop out more?" Samar teased. Sapphire rolled her eyes. The two, according to Nazir from his last visit there, had six, five boys and a girl.

"Hey, Byrnjolf can afford for us all to live comfortably, and I really love kids. Why not? Plus, I only brought some, just long enough for the baby to wear more than a diaper while you can get some more outfits made," Sapphire responded.

Sapphire set out the three she brought. It almost felt unreal. As more time went on, Samar ended up getting up more baby stuff. It was nearly overwhelming, how many things a baby needed. Clothing, diapers, baby cradle, some toys, plenty of warm furs (Dawnstar was freezing, even in the Sanctuary and if even Cicero was shivering, the baby would probably be blue at that point with frostbite), and the list just kept going on, and on, and on.

As Samar admired the baby outfits, she couldn't help but notice how Cicero's insane grin was even larger than normal.

* * *

Sapphire left a few hours later, saying that there was a small stall that needed thieving before she took her leave from Solitude. Samar, against Cicero's insistance, went alone down to visit Endaire at the clothing shop. Endaire's jaw dropped when the familiar adventurer walked in, stomach huge with a baby. Samar resisted the urge to slit her throat, or have Cicero do it for her, as the surprised woman took measurements and said that she could have a few dresses made for the pregnant Imperial finished by tomorrow.

"Bring in the little one when he or she comes," she encouraged. "I'll make clothing fit for royalty for them."

Samar then made the slow walk to the Blue Palace. It had been ages since she saw her favorite Jarl, Elisif. Not since her wedding to Falk nearly three years ago. She was the only female Jarl that she truly came to love and respect. Upon entering the palace, like Endaire, Elisif's jaw dropped (although she covered it with her hand) upon seeing the pregnant Dragonborn. Was it really that surprising or scary that Samar was going to be a mother? Or were they surprised that Samar had gotten laid? Samar scowled some in annoyance.

Elisif quickly shook it off and still hugged her old friend. Her husband, Falk, also offered a hug before the two women wandered off by themselves to the kitchen to help themselves to some drinks. Both of the women had water. Samar for obvious reasons, and she couldn't decipher if Elisif sincerely did not want any mead or simply didn't want to drink in front of her pregnant friend.

"So," Elisif began, trying to be cheerful and friendly. "Are you here with your husband?"

"I'm not married," Samar said a tad quietly. It shouldn't be that big of a deal that she and Cicero weren't married, right? "But just because I'm not married and having a baby doesn't mean I'm a slut or anything"

"Of course," Elisif replied with a smile before her expression turned a bit grim. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure," Samar said, shrugging her shoulders.

"How long did it take for you to get pregnant?"

Samar shot her a bizarre look.

"I never really planned this, Elisif," she reminded her.

"Approximately?"

"Um...well the father and I have been...active for about...five years, maybe?" Samar said, her voice lowering noticeably in volume as she spoke. She hoped Elisif wouldn't question why she wasn't married after five years. Thankfully, she didn't. "Why so curious?"

"Promise you won't tell?" Elisif asked, her voice lowering as well. Samar nodded. "Falk and I have been trying for a baby. But...nothing's happened yet."

Samar threw her hands in the air.

"Babies are fucking everywhere," she cursed. "Everywhere I look now, old friends, new friends, distant friends and close friends are all having babies!" Elisif laughed.

"If we didn't have babies, there wouldn't be another generation," Elisif reminded her. "We're getting old. Have to have them sometime."

"Is that why you're drinking water?" Samar changed the subject slightly.

"Sort of. I'm hoping that I'm pregnant now," she said, staring down at her flat stomach. Samar envied that, taking a glance at her own huge stomach. "But I won't know until our doctor comes back. He went to a farm south of here and won't be back until next week."

"Is he the only doctor here?"

"Well, no, but I don't want the news to rush out that we're trying. This is the same doctor that cured my illnesses as a baby. I greatly trust him to keep it quiet. I don't want anybody to know...just in case that I can't," Elisif said really softly. "We've been trying for nearly two years."

"It'll happen when it happens," Samar said. "If nothing else, don't try. I didn't try for kids, but yet...here I am. Pregnant and so whiny that my family sent me to Solitude until I give birth."

Elisif gave a small laugh.

"So, your move isn't permanent?" Samar shook her head no. "That's a shame. If I were able to conceive soon, your little one and my little one could be playmates."

Samar smiled at the idea. Maybe if they had opposite genders, they could perhaps be even in-laws one day. But that was a very small possibility. Even if they did manage to give birth to opposite genders, Elisif probably wouldn't be pleased if her child wanted to marry the child of the Listener and Keeper of the Dark Brotherhood.

"So how did you and Falk go from business to pleasure?" Samar asked, her wide grin representing Cicero's in a way. Elisif smiled.

"One of my ladies in waiting gave me an Amulet of Mara to help me find somebody after my first husband's passing. Falk asked if I was interested in him, and who better than the man who helped me run Solitude and get past my mourning?" she smiled at the memories. "Before I knew it, we were being wed. I'll always love Torygg, but he would have wanted me to move on, marry a man who would take good care of me. What about you and the baby's father?"

"Cicero? Well...we're not really in love. We're just kind of there for each other, and something went wrong but yet we're both happy about having a baby," she replied thoughtfully.

"How did you two get involved, if you're not in love?"

"My previous boss wanted him killed for attacking somebody. I eventually learned that he had every right to, but at that moment, I obeyed her and went to kill him," Samar began. "But when I got there, he was laying on the ground all bloody and in pain. I couldn't just kill him, especially since before I left, I discovered his real motives behind the attack. I ended up leaving a healing potion and lying to my boss. After I pretty much took over the business, he returned and swore he would serve me until the day I died, no matter my request as some sort of thanks for sparing his life. And when you're running three different businesses in three different holds, you don't have much time for romance. I simply asked, he obeyed. Escalated from there."

"I bet you two are the most adorable couple," Elisif smiled.

"We're not a couple," Samar insisted.

"But you spared him. It means you have to feel something, even if you don't anymore," Elisif explained. "I'm sure you love him." Samar could have sworn her eyes sparkle. "You probably just aren't fully aware of it yet."

Samar leaned back in her chair, sighing at the relief it gave her sore back. When she got home, Cicero would definitely massage it for her.

"Do you have any sweetrolls?" she asked hopefully. "Oh don't give me that look. Ever since the fool got me pregnant, I've been craving the damn things."

Elisif laughed and gestured towards a pantry. Samar helped herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

I know the beginning is kind of sloppy, but I'm honestly boring myself with her pregnancy and I want to get it DONE WITH ALREADY! By Sithis, she's been pregnant for like, what? Six chapters? And you're all going to get pissed because I'll end up having the kid grow up in less than five chapters or something. (Probably not, but that's something that I would end up doing on accident.)

Also, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ME! :D

* * *

When Cicero had finally left to go home so that he could tend to Mother, Samar found that she instantly missed the crazy jester. She missed waking up next to him in the morning, constantly having to split her sweetroll with him, having him literally ready to rub her sore feet and aching back at demand or whine. Samar was surprised that the time passed as quickly as it did.

Soon he was back nearly two months later, and very surprised to see that she actually got bigger. A lot bigger.

But he still smiled and pulled her into his arms in a light hug.

"Cicero missed Samar," he told her softly.

"I missed you too," she mumbled back. They stayed like that for a little while longer.

The midwife stuck around for the next three days until Samar finally went into labor. Hours of much pain, blood and some screams from Cicero, and multiply the three by about six for Samar, they finally had their little baby boy.

"What are we naming him?" Cicero asked. The midwife had cleaned up the baby, dressed him in one of the outfits Sapphire brought her, accepted her pay from Cicero then left the new parents alone. Cicero was rubbing the baby's cheek with a gloved finger.

"What do you suggest?" Samar asked, kissing the baby's forehead. He stirred in his sleep some, but his tiny hand stretched out and grabbed onto his mother's dress, holding it tightly in his little fist.

"Lucien?" he asked. Samar froze for a second, staring up at him. Lucien? After the spectral assassin? He nodded, as if reading her thoughts. She smiled and leaned to kiss him.

"Sounds perfect," she agreed. She shifted slightly, wincing in pain, so that Cicero could crawl next to her on the bed. He moved close, and she carefully passed Lucien to him.

"Tiny," Cicero commented once the warm bundle was in his arms. "Very tiny, little Lucien. But you'll get bigger one day."

Samar smiled, leaning back onto the pillows, her eyes drooping. She was tired, but she didn't want to miss this moment.

"When do you want to go home and show our family the newest brother?" Samar asked. Cicero didn't look up from Lucien, too busy staring at the sleeping infant.

"Whenever Listener feels ready," he replied, not breaking his gaze. Samar smiled and closed her eyes.

"Tomorrow night?" she suggested as she felt sleep beginning to overtake her.

"Cicero will have everything ready to leave for home," he said. His voice suddenly got more cheerful, but for the first time, the volume of his voice didn't increase. "Lucien can properly meet Mother!"

Samar smiled some, eyes still closed. She felt Cicero's lips kiss her cheek before whispering in her ear.

"Cicero love you, Samar."

Samar was too exhausted to really think about how Cicero not just, for the first time, called her by her name but also point-blank stating his love. Her response was to roll on her side and fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

When Samar woke up, she began to wonder if she dreamt that Cicero told her that. After some thinking, she realized that he really did tell her that. Pulling the covers over her head, she began to feel awful.

Quickly, she threw the blankets over her head as she suddenly remembered. She had a baby to take care of now. She couldn't spend so much time on what Cicero said. Lucien needed her attention and energy right now.

Lucien was still alive. Cicero had cleared out a small chest, also taking off the lid and stuffed it with extra furs for a make-shift crib.

_So far, so good,_ she thought as she peered into the chest-crib. Lucien was awake, so she gingerly reached in and picked him up. Her skin got goosebumps when he suddenly make little weird noises, before relaxing when she realized that he was fine.

"Good morning, Lucien," she said softly. Lucien just looked at her and began to fuss. For a second, more panic overtook her before logic entered her mind. It was morning. He was probably hungry, especially since he just woke up and his diaper smelled clean.

Shortly after she fed him, Cicero stood at the doorway.

"Cicero made Listener breakfast, when Listener is done," he told her. Samar handed him Lucien before she went downstairs.

Her mind wandered as she ate, allowing herself to think over what Cicero said. She didn't wander for long though. The second she finished, she eagerly walked up the stairs to join Cicero in Lucien.

* * *

"He is the most adorable thing I've ever seen!" Babette nearly squealed when Samar put the baby in his arms. The baby stared up at Babette. Aventus peered over her to see him, but when offered the infant, he quickly backed away.

"So this is the newest brother," Nazir mused, accepting the baby when Babette handed it to him. He stared down at Lucien, who in response, reached his hand up and pulled his beard. Nazir winced and quickly passed the little boy to Cicero. Cicero held him snug in his arms.

* * *

The days turned into weeks, weeks into months and before Samar knew it, nearly five years had passed. Lucien had obviously grown quite a lot, and at least once a week, Nazir would take a look at him and mutter that he looked exactly like Cicero more and more every passing day but thanked Sithis that he was overall pretty quiet like Samar. He also seemed to have insomnia like Cicero, and most of Lucien's nights that he spent awake were spent with either Babette or Cicero. Babette and Samar were teaching him his reading and writing, Babette also showing him how to mix some basic potions while Aventus made dull knives for him to play with. Nazir, although his claimed to dislike children, especially any children that the annoying jester would produce, seemed to enjoy Lucien's company. He was the only one he allowed to help him cook.

It was when Samar and Cicero were out together on a contract. Samar had only taken thirty contracts in the past five years since she had Lucien, compared to the thirty she had once been taking in a single week before. They had left about three days ago, Lucien was playing outside with Aventus, Nazir out on a contract with one of the new recruits and Babette was just waking up. Still in her nightdress, she was in the kitchen, borrowing a little bit of salt from Nazir's huge sack of it.

Lucien ran in, Aventus far behind. Aventus looked pretty surprised, a little pale with shock to be honest.

"Babette! Babette! Want to know what I just learned?" he yelled, running towards the little vampire. She smiled down fondly at him. Nazir was right. He looked like a mini Cicero. A much quieter, cute version of Cicero. The unchild had taking a strong liking to the only other child in the Sanctuary.

"Sure," she replied, ruffling his hair. Lucien gave a grin that mirrored Cicero's insane one as he turned to the table.

"FUS!" he shouted. The room shook slightly and dishes flew off the table, along with three of the chairs falling over. Even Lucien seemed surprised that this happened. The dishes laid on the ground, half of them completely shattered. Tears formed in his eyes, believing he was in trouble. "I'm sorry! I-I thought, I though that just made the room shake. It made the trees and rocks shake, I didn't know it pushed stuff away."

"Shhh, it's alright," Babette comforted, pulling him into a hug. Lucien sniffed and whimpered. "Aventus and I will clean this up, you go get ready for bed and I'll be in shortly to tell you goodnight."

Lucien nodded, tears drying when he realized that he wasn't in trouble. He smiled and ran off. Babette looked at Aventus, her eyes bewildered.

"The guards killed a dragon yesterday in Dawnstar, apparently the cause of the noises you heard last night," Aventus explained. Babette nodded. She thought it was just thunder, would have never even heard it if Lucien hadn't come to Babette in the middle of the night in fright and forced her to listen hard for it. "I was getting more stuff so that I could make Nazir a new enchanted blade, and we passed the skeleton of it. Lucien glowed this freaky light yellow, and immediately afterwards screamed...whatever he just screamed at the sky. Trees and some rocks shook, grabbed the attention of a few people but we came home before the guards could be notified."

"Samar is Dragonborn," Babette said slowly. "Maybe it can be passed down? I've never heard of such a case, but anything's possible."

"You should tell him to stop that...that...shouting...till Samar comes back," Aventus said, bending over to pick up a piece of a plate. "She'll know what to do."

"I'm going to go tuck him in," Babette said a bit quietly. Aventus nodded as he began to pick up several more pieces of plates and cup and set them on a surviving plate.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

* * *

"You truly are insane," Samar replied to the jester in response to his question, not even wanting to entertain the idea. Cicero gave an adorable pout, but Samar knew better than to fall for it.

"But Samar loves Lucien, and Cicero loves Lucien," he pointed out, following her through the woods as she made her way towards the small stream.

"Yes, I do love Lucien. I love him with all my heart, but there is no way that I will go through a second pregnancy," she scowled, crouching next to it and rinsing her hands off the blood from her contract. "I love Lucien, and I don't regret having him, I just wish that time would move faster while I was pregnant."

"Cicero just wants one more," he begged, sitting next to her. Samar glared at him.

"No," she said firmly.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I hated pregnancy!" she growled. "I had nothing to do. I couldn't kill, I couldn't help make potions, help with making daggers, nothing! Just sit around and eat sweetrolls, getting all fat and unattractive." She glanced down at her stomach. She had just recently got her body to look exactly like it did before her pregnancy. There was no way it was getting that fat, with the horrible swollen feet and constant sickness.

"Cicero didn't think Listener was fat or unattractive," he said, wrapping an arm around her, making her flush a light pink. She shrugged him off.

"No more babies," she said firmly. "I am not going through another pregnancy. Even when I was in Solitude, I was all alone. I didn't have my family with me because I was so cranky everybody but you didn't want me around."

"Listener should just admit that she loves Cicero and missed him while she was in Solitude," he grinned. Samar resisted the urge to slap him.

"I did not!" she insisted. He gave a loud, insane laugh of his. She scowled as she stood. "If it will keep you quiet...let me at least think on it."

Cicero smiled, snapping to his feet and immediately hugging her tightly

* * *

It was in the early afternoon that Cicero and Samar came home. Aventus was outside, walking alongside the shore as Lucien was watching the men load ships at the Dawnstar port. Upon seeing them, Lucien immediately scrambled to his feet and ran to greet them, Aventus walking behind him. Samar, although cranky and tired from the long journey, immediately smiled and accepted her son as he ran into her arms. She lifted him and hugged him close as he excited told her how much he missed her and daddy. By the time Aventus walked over, Lucien was switched to Cicero's arms.

When Aventus caught up to the small family, he smiled before standing close to Samar to whisper in her ear.

"Something big has happened with Lucien," he whispered. Samar shot a look at Lucien. "No, he's fine...just that...he...maybe Babette can explain better."

Samar nodded towards him before looking at Cicero and Lucien. She couldn't help but smile at how both of her favorite boys were sharing the same, insane laugh, Lucien from being tickled and Cicero because Lucien was laughing.

_Cicero has been great with Lucien. Surprisingly, extremely good. And everybody was right, I do love being a mom. Everybody from the Brotherhood loves Lucien too, even Nazir. It's only nine months, maybe we should consider having a second baby,_ Samar thought to herself before informing Cicero that they needed to head to the Sanctuary.

Babette was surprisingly awake when they entered the Sanctuary, although she looked tired. Smiling at Samar and Cicero, she advised Lucien to go and help Nazir cook dinner. He had immediately agreed and ran straight for the kitchen.

"What happened? Aventus said something happened with Lucien," Samar immediately asked the second Lucien was out of sight. "He seems alright, but...what happened?"

"Samar, Lucien used a Thu'um to blow all the dishes off the table and knock over the chairs," Babette said shortly. "Aventus mentioned that he glowed yellow after passing a dragon the guards killed the day before, then he was able to shout. I...I honestly wasn't sure what to make of it."

Samar looked very surprised, while Cicero acted as if he already knew.

"What should we do?" Samar asked softly.

"I don't know," Babette admitted. "He hasn't done it since that one event. I figured that it was something he just got from you, like how he has Cicero's...pretty much everything, but has your silence and sanity. I kind of think that the Thu'um is just another one of those things that could be passed down. That, or the Gods smile a lot on your family-line. Were your ancestors Dragonborn?"

"I don't know much about my family," Samar said softly. "My father was a married man who had an affair with my mother. My grandmother kicked her out when she was seven months pregnant for being a harlot and my mom died giving birth to me just outside of Windhelm. The Khajits that often travel throughout Skyrim found me and raised me until I left when I was twenty."

Cicero shifted to hold her. She leaned into him.

"I'm sorry," Babette said, sounding sincere.

"Either way," Samar spoke up, changing the subject. "Maybe I should take him to see the Greybeards. They'd know much more than me, and perhaps teach him a thing or two about his Thu'um?"

"Cicero thinks that Listener should wait until Lucien is older," Cicero pipped in. "Lucien is too small to climb the 7,000 steps."

"I could carry him. It's important that he learns to control it at a young age," Samar explained. "I never knew I was Dragonborn until I was nearly twenty-two, and even at that age I needed immediately help controlling it because I had no clue what to do. I still only have a small understanding as to what exactly my Thu'ums are."

"Cicero will come with Listener then," Cicero responded.

"No. You need to tend to the Night Mother, and I have no idea how long it will take to get there, nor how long we may end up staying," Samar argued. Cicero shoot her a Look.

"Lucien is Cicero's son too," he reminded her.

"Cicero, it might be best for just Lucien and I to go," she attempted to reason. "Lucien seems to share my gift. I'm also not sure if the Greybeards would accept you there. They're very content on silence, and having an excitable, loud child would probably annoy them enough already. They'd probably only tolerate Lucien because he seems to be a Dragonborn. You see Lucien all the time. It'd be sort of nice to spend some time alone with him." When she saw Cicero was about to argue against her more, she added on. "Listen, if you allow me to take Lucien to see the Greybeards, not just this time, but anytime they wish to summon him, you can take Lucien on contracts when he's old enough to receive them and until he's comfortable going out on his own."

Cicero thought for a moment before spreading into a wide smile, clapping his hands together.

"Listener and Lucien should leave as soon as possible!" Cicero chirped.

"I'll make some potions to ensure Lucien doesn't get frostbite. You can easily handle it, but Lucien's still quite young," Babette told Samar. She nodded as Babette left the room.

Cicero, still holding Samar, pulled her closer.

"Has Listener thought about having another Lucien?" he asked quietly.

"Not now, Cicero," Samar murmured as she pulled away from Cicero and simply walked away into the kitchen to join Lucien and Nazir. "Lucien, do you want to show Mommy how you can shout?"

* * *

"Alright, you two be careful," Babette said cheerfully as she handed Samar the last of the twenty potions she made if something were to happen to Lucien during the trip. Samar didn't think so. She made sure to pack extra furs to wrap him in as well as his thick coat.

"Bye Aunt Babette!" he said cheerfully as he kissed her cheek. Babette smiled and ruffled his hair, kissing his forehead. Cicero then lifted Lucien up in the air and kissed him as well.

"Lucien must listen closely to his mother," he told him sternly but with a wide smile. "Skyrim isn't safe for little Lucien to wander out on his own."

"I'll be good!" Lucien said, mirroring his smile. "Bye Daddy!"

Cicero put Lucien down and looked at Samar. He leaned in and kissed her briefly.

"Be safe, Listener," he told her. "Cicero loves you."

Samar smiled, but didn't reply.

"I love you, Daddy!" Lucien responded instead. Cicero smiled.

"Daddy loves you too, Lucien," he told him. The only time Cicero didn't call himself Cicero was when he was talking to Lucien. Lucien gave a large grin and wrapped his arms around his dad's legs in a tight hug.

After a few more minutes of goodbyes, Babette and Cicero painfully watched Samar walk away with Lucien in hand to visit the Greybeards.

* * *

Two weeks later, Samar was holding a napping Lucien in her arms, wrapped in his furs and his thick coat when she let herself into High Hrothgar. The Greybeards noticed her and smiled. They couldn't speak to her, but they had made it obvious her first visit that she was always welcome. The only Greybeard that could speak was Arngeir, who immediately came to greet her.

"What brings you here, Dovahkiin?" he asked her, his voice volume low. He smiled as Lucien began to stir from his sleep. "And who did you bring with you?"

"My son, Lucien," she said, rubbing the boy's red cheeks as his eyes began to flutter open. "He showed the power of the Thu'um."

Arngeir smiled.

"Did he now?" he murmured softly. Samar peeled the furs off of Lucien and put him down. He rubbed his eyes and leaned against her, wrapping his arms around his mom for balance. "Good morning, Lucien."

Lucien blinked slowly, looking up at the Greybeard. He immediately seemed intimated by the stranger. He looked up at his mom, who smiled and nodded. Feeling a tad braver, he replied.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully.

"I heard from your mother that you can produce a Thu'um," he said.

"What's that?" Lucien asked.

"It's called a dragon shout in our language. A Thu'um is an arcane form of magic that people can use as dragons do. If your mother is correct, you are a Dragonborn like her and therefore you don't need to learn and teach yourself how to shout," Arngeir explained. Seeing Lucien's baffled look, he simplified it. "A Thu'um is sort of like magic that you use your voice for, but it takes many years of learning and practice in order to use it. But people like your mother have a natural talent for it. She can learn shouts very quickly."

Lucien smiled, laughing and half-bounced, half-danced in place. Gods he was so much like Cicero.

"I can shout!" he said cheerfully.

"You should show us then," Arngeir smiled. Lucien accepted his open hand, and they walked to the courtyard, Samar not far behind. The other Greybeards followed in curiosity of the little Dragonborn. "So what kind of shout can you do?"

"I can push stuff away!" he exclaimed.

"He can perform Fus," Samar clarified.

"Ah, Force," he murmured with a nod of his head before motioning towards the cliff. "Go on son. Show us your Fus."

Lucien gave a grin that reminded Samar of Cicero before he moved to face the cliff.

"FUS!" he shouted, pushing some snow off the cliff and making the mountain shake ever so slightly.

"Excellent!" Arngeir told him. The other Greybeards nodded in agreement, smiling. "Would you like to learn the rest of the shout?"

"There's more?" Lucien asked with wide eyes.

"Each shout is consisted of three words," Arngeir explained to him. "You know the first word of Unrelenting Force. Perhaps your mother could demonstrate the full shout?"

"Can you, Mommy?" Lucien asked eagerly, looking up at her with an adorable pout. By the Gods, he looked so much like Cicero, especially when he gave her the exact same pout that the jester had given her on their recent contract. Although Samar resisted Cicero's pouts with ease, she was a complete fool for Lucien's.

She smiled and nodded. Standing exactly where Lucien stood to demonstrate his shout, she took a deep breath and shouted.

"FUS RO DAH!" her voice boomed, the shout much more powerful. Lucien squealed and bounced.

"Can you teach me the rest of the shout?" he asked Arngeir.

"Maybe another time, little Dovahkiin," he responded. "I must speak to your mother for a little bit."

"What's Dovahkiin?" Lucien asked.

"It means Dragonborn in the dragon language," he informed him.

"Dovahkiin," Lucien repeated slowly, the word foreign to him. "It sounds cooler than Dragonborn."

"Indeed," Arngeir agreed. "Go along with Master Borri now. He'll help you get warm by the fire."

Samar suddenly took notice that Lucien was turning red from the cold, although he didn't seem to take notice. Similar to Cicero. She nodded approval to Lucien, who looked at her for her permission before accepting the Greybeard's hand and going inside. Even as obedient as the jester.

"Dovahkiin, I have something that I really must talk to you about concerning the little Dovahkiin," he spoke as he turned to face Samar.

"Anything Master Arngeir," she responded respectfully, giving her his full attention.

"I believe that you should...discourage shouting when it comes to the little Dovahkiin," he said slowly. Samar's jaw dropped in surprise, but she quickly collected herself

"Why?" Samar inquired. "You saw him, Lucien is ecstatic about learning the Thu'um. Shouldn't I encourage his learning?"

"Aye, in any other time, I would. But now," he said, sounding disappointed as he sighed heavily. "I suggest that you discourage it. With the raging war in Skyrim, we need the dragonborn to help bring peace and order. However, with people learning just how much power the dragonborn has, I fear that the little Dovahkiin will be taken. Kidnapped, by somebody who wants to use his powers to advance in the war or for other evil purposes. I highly advise you discourage his shouting until he's in his teens, when he can properly learn to defend himself."

"But if he learns his shouts now, won't he be able to defend himself?" Samar wondered.

"True, but I'd rather not take risks. Just because he knows his shouts, doesn't mean he is automatically safe," Arngeir said firmly. "With you, you're a powerful, brave young woman, even without the power of the Thu'um. You can care for yourself. It's not just a matter of his safety either. Lucien is a little boy, and life is hard in Skyrim these days. He should enjoy his childhood. If you bring him back when he reaches his teen years, we'll be more than happy to accept him as a student. But for now, discourage the shouts. Make sure he learns no more than what he has. Try to not excite him by using your own Thu'um around him. Let Lucien be a child while he still is one."

Samar nodded as they began to make their way inside of the building.

"Thank you, Master Arngeir. I will discourage him and bring him back to be one of your students when he reaches his teens," Samar told him.

"I have a feeling I'm not the only one who enjoys the little Dovahkiin," Arngeir said softly, watching the three other Greybeards silently fawn over the boy. Samar smiled. Lucien was too cute for anybody to resist. "It is late. You and little Dovahkiin can stay here for the night. I have a feeling nobody here will mind."

Samar thanked him and walked over to Lucien and the other Greybeards. They silently acknowledged her and went back to admiring the boy. She noticed that they had given him a sack that seemed to be full of homemade sugary treats, an Amulet of Talos and warm-looking grey robes.

"Hi Mommy!" Lucien cheerfully greeted. His face had sweetroll icing all over it.

Samar had to give a small laugh as she bent down to wipe the icing off his cheeks.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

Divines, I added much more fluff between Samar and Cicero than I had originally planned. Next chapter will focus more on where the story is going. But for now, let's enjoy sweet, sweet fluff.

* * *

"By Sithis, you two are like rabbits," Samar laughed.

"And I swear by the Gods that he looks exactly like that jester," Sapphire replied, looking down at Lucien. This was the first time she had seen the child. He responded with an adorable grin. "Well, a cuter version."

The two women were standing in Samar's Riften house. The Greybeards were right, Lucien should enjoy his childhood. And maybe it would be good for him to spend a few weeks in Riften, playing with other children besides Babette. She had written Cicero a letter to inform him so that he wouldn't freak out, paid a courier and settled back into the home she rarely used.

Sapphire had brought four of her nine children over, Lucien becoming fast friends with Sapphire's almost-six year old son, Dorian. How Sapphire happily went through all those pregnancies and yet managed to not commit mass murder from the stress they must create for her amazed Samar. She had eight boys and one little girl, the girl rarely leaving Byrnjolf's side.

"He loves all his kids, but believe me, Neoma is his _baby_," Sapphire had said with a smile. "You should be getting many contracts from him in the next few years. He's going to end up wanting everybody who even _looks_ at her funny dead."

Samar was happy that Sapphire had Byrnjolf. He was a good guy, and based on her history, she needed a man like him that treated her well. And a man that was willing to put up with nine children. Thank Sithis Lucien was a good baby.

"You two going to have any more?" Samar asked her. Sapphire shrugged.

"I think we're going to put a pause on babies for now," she said. "I'd like to enjoy the children I have now. What about you and the jester? You two planning on giving Lucien a little brother or sister?"

"I've been thinking about it," Samar admitted slowly.

"And?"

"One more. That's it," she said firmly. Sapphire grinned.

"I said the same thing," she teased.

"I mean it. No more little assassins. I love Lucien with all my heart, I love children, but pregnancy is something I want to avoid like Skooma."

Sapphire chuckled before changing the subject.

* * *

"Daddy!"

"Cicero!"

Samar stood frozen in the doorway, Lucien pushing himself through to jump into his dad's arms. Cicero stood, wide grin as he picked up Lucien.

"Listener."

"What are you doing here?" Samar asked, still completely surprised.

"Cicero got Listener's letter saying that she and little Lucien would be staying in Riften so that Lucien could play with other children," he explained as she finally let him inside the house. "Cicero couldn't wait that long to see his son, so he made sure Mother was cared for so that he could come and visit!"

Samar shook her head, shaking off the surprise. She scolded herself for not thinking or expecting this.

"Mommy, can I go to Mrs. Sapphire's house and play with Dorian?" Lucien suddenly asked, still clutching his dad tightly.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" she said quickly. Cicero let Lucien down, and the boy wandered outside. Samar walked to the door and watched him made the short walk down to the home Sapphire and Byrnjolf bought to contain their jungle-I mean to raise their children in. Once Sapphire answered the door and let him in, Samar closed their own door and turned to face Cicero.

"Has Listener thought about Cicero's offer?" he wondered, moving closer to wrap his arms around her.

"Yes," she replied, looking up at him.

"And?"

"...One more. And that's it."

Cicero grinned and kissed her.

"Has Listener thought about Cicero's other offer?" Samar looked up at the jester, confused. She thought for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "Listener, we are in Riften. Temple of Mara only a five minute walk away." The Listener's eyes widened.

"Wh-What? No!" she half-sputtered. "We can't get married! I don't love you!"

Cicero chuckled and put a hand on her cheek. He moved his hand down to around her neck and pulled a necklace chain up from the hidden confines beneath her shirt.

"Then why does Listener wear an Amulet of Mara, if Listener does not want Cicero?" he asked with his insane grin. Samar scowled at him. "Does Listener love playing hard-to-get, or does Listener enjoy Cicero's attention so much that she doesn't want to admit that she loves him."

"Neither!" she snapped.

"Then Listener should tell Cicero this. Why did Listener continue to be with Cicero after the first night if she didn't feel for him? Why did Listener spend so much time with poor Cicero that she ended up moving into his room and sharing his bed every night if she didn't like him a lot? How can Listener love Lucien, who everybody says is so much like Cicero, but yet not tell Cicero that you love him too?" Cicero asked, playing with the necklace he still held in his hand.

"I don't know," she mumbled.

"Samar?" Samar looked at him in complete surprise. This was the second time he called her by name, not Listener. "Cicero loves you."

"I love you too, you fool," was the soft reply, but she held a smile.

"So Samar will marry poor Cicero?"

"The Temple of Mara is only a small walk away, my jester."

Cicero grinned as she grabbed his hand and led him outside towards the temple.

* * *

Although spontaneous to nearly everybody but the Keeper, a good number of the Thieves guild showed up, and a few others that knew Samar well. Lucien stood right in between them, watching with curiosity as his parents exchanged wedding vows. When the vows were over, they shared a kiss before Cicero scooped Lucien up in his arms and kissed him too, making the younger giggle.

"Looks like you two finally tied the knot," Sapphire congratulated. Byrnjolf was with her, an arm wrapped around her.

"Aye lass. Never thought that it would happen," he agreed.

"Would you like us to take Lucien for the night so that you could can," Sapphire hesitated before leaning into Samar so that Lucien wouldn't hear and ask questions, "work on that second baby all night?"

Samar blushed, turning even redder when Sapphire laughed.

"Um...please."

Lucien eagerly went home with the thieves with the excitement of having Dorian to play with. Cicero kissed Samar's cheek before he led her out of the temple and back to their home.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

I feel bad, because I re-wrote this chapter three times, but I couldn't really...write what I wanted written the way I wanted it written. It feels rushed, and I don't like it, but I also don't know how to change it. If you have suggestions, let me know.

* * *

It wasn't long before Samar found herself in a wagon on her way to Solitude. This time, she decided to leave less than a month after the Night Mother warned her to stop with the contracts for the time being. After arguing with Cicero for days, he finally (and quiet sadly, but she resisted his cute pout) agreed to let Lucien stay with her in Solitude. She insisted that it was to allow him to socialize with the children there and maybe even learn a little from the Bard College, but she didn't want to admit that she would be too lonely without her son and new husband. She loved her housecarl and Elisif, but it wasn't anywhere near the same.

Weeks passed, and Samar's stomach returned to the same fat, unattractive bump that she had with Lucien. Lucien, like Cicero, liked it. Although in this case, he was more curious about how his baby brother or sister was in there. He had constant questions, like how the baby got there and how they were coming out. She wished Cicero was there to help with the awkward situation, but she ended up ruffling his hair and telling him to go play.

She was perhaps her seventh month along when she found herself in Elisif's castle to celebrate. There was only a few people there, most of the people having already dropped by the day the baby was born. It had taken the couple a very suspiciously long time, but they finally had their first baby, a little boy that they named Felix. Lucien himself had just recently reached six years old, and since his father was away, he was very determined to be the man of the house. Samar couldn't help but think about how cute it was, but he gave an adorable pout and scowl when she commented to visitors that he was adorable when trying to be the man of the house.

"Congratulations!" Samar said cheerfully to Elisif as they hugged tightly. The new mother was beaming.

"Thank you!" she chirped back with a wide smile. She glanced down at Lucien, who politely handed her the small gift they got for the baby. The Jarl bent down and took it, kissing the boy's cheek. "I haven't seen you since you were just a little baby. You're a big boy now."

"I'm man of the house," he said determinedly, his look completely serious.

"He's been saying so since Cicero has to stay home due to our business," Samar explained in a hushed tone to her. Elisif smiled.

"Aww, well isn't that cute?" she commented, making Lucien scowl. "Lucien, there's some friends playing in the courtyard if you'd like to join them."

Looking up at his mom, she nodded her permission, and he scattered out the door. Samar accompanied Elisif to the baby's room. The room was decorated in the many gifts the first baby of the Jarl got from the people and other Jarls. Even Jarl Ulfric sent Felix a child-sized sword and shield, for when he grew bigger. "To make him into a strong warrior one day" was written on the message that came along with it. Until that day came, it was safely tucked away in the chest in Elisif and Falk's room.

"He's adorable," Samar cooed towards the infant.

"When are you due?" Elisif asked, glancing at her stomach.

"About two months."

"Really? You look a lot farther long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Samar scowled. She did certainly feel bigger than her last pregnancy, but she had always assumed that it was due to this being her second pregnancy.

"Nothing," she said a bit quickly. Samar shot her a small glare, but it immediately dropped when she heard a loud scream followed by a familiar shout.

"FUS!"

Elisif quickly dashed down to the courtyard, Samar following as fast as she could. In the courtyard, a small girl was crying and Lucien, among two other children was looking up at the top of the wall.

"What happened?" Samar asked.

"Lucien shouted at a man and he ended up there!" one of the kids immediately tattled, pointing up at the top of the wall that the children were staring at. A limp man was laying half over the wall.

"I didn't mean to send him up there," Lucien said tearfully. He immediately ran to his mom and threw his arms around her. "I thought I just pushed people away, I didn't know that it made them fly too!"

"It's alright sweetheart," Samar comforted while smoothing his hair.

"The man tried to grab me!" the sobbing girl wailed.

"Where's your parents?" Samar asked her.

"Her father's Jarl of Whiterun," Elisif told her in a slightly hushed tone. "Her mother and her came to bring Felix a gift. Somebody must be after her for ransom or something."

Samar nodded as several parents came out to calm their children, immediately taking them home. She thought best to do the same, taking Lucien's hand in her own and walking home with him. It was silence the entire way. When they walked inside, he broke the silence.

"Mom, I know you told me to not shout, but I-I couldn't let them take Dagny!" he defended himself. Samar placed a hand on his head before smoothing it.

"You did the right thing," she said softly. "But you need to be more careful, Lucien. We can't let people know that you are Dragonborn until you are older, and receive proper training from the Greybeards."

"I know," he said. Despite his sadness, he had Cicero's insane smile on his face. "Can I go to the Bards College?"

"I think it's best if you stay home tonight," Samar replied quietly. He gave a silent nod and slowly dragged himself down the stairs.

* * *

For the next month, Samar kept a closer eye on Lucien. She feared that with him having demonstrated just a fraction of his Dragonborn power, that the man who had sent for Dagny would send for Lucien. The civil war was growing more, and more intense. Astrid had relished in it because it meant the guards were more spread out and off fighting war than protecting contracts. When Samar pretty much took over, she enjoyed the same idea. She knew that everybody in the Sanctuary, in one way or another, supported the Imperial Legion, but nobody really did anything to help with the war effort.

Around this time, the same midwife from her last pregnancy was there to monitor her. She was just a bit over eight months pregnant, but she looked and felt bigger than her last pregnancy. Samar couldn't help but also feel like she was going to deliver sooner than expected. Less than two days later, Cicero was at the front door in the very early hours of the morning. Lucien had shrieked and immediately clung to him, excitably yelling at him about how he was man of the house, how he protected his friend with the power of his thu'um and more. The jester had laughed alongside with Lucien.

That night, Samar went into labor. Three longs hours later, to everybody's surprise, they had twins, a boy and a girl. The midwife was paid, and she left the two alone with their newborns. Lucien somehow had slept through it all.

"Vicente and Amaya?" Samar had suggested. Cicero nodded. He was holding his daughter and Samar had their second son in her arms. The couple kissed before Cicero remade the make-shift crib out of two chests and placed the snoozing babies inside them.

Cicero crawled back into bed next to Samar and wrapped an arm around her, snuggling into her before they both drifted off to sleep.

Only to be awoken a few hours later by their down being kicked in.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

* * *

Cicero immediately shot up into a sitting position.

"Listener!" he whispered urgently, shaking her. She stirred slightly. "Listener, somebody is breaking in."

That caught the woman's attention. She immediately began to sit up, wincing in pain.

"Which door?" she asked in a hushed tone. Cicero thought for a moment as he silently slipped out of the bed.

"Sounds like the front door," he replied as she followed his suit, still wincing and holding her lower stomach. "Listener, you gave birth not..." he glanced at the clock, "three hours ago. Maybe you should rest. Cicero will do the sneaking and the stabbing, you just watch the twins. Cicero will send Lucien upstairs to Listener."

Samar began to protest, but a wave of pain hit her. She looked at Cicero with sad eyes, but she broke her gaze to sit on the bed. There was no time for one of their arguements. She instead had to nod in agreement, the pain of knowing that she couldn't.

"Get Lucien quickly," she ordered. "He's sleeping on the bedroll in the basement, and I need him up here before that door is completely broken down. And alert the guards!"

Cicero nodded and rushed down the stairs, ebony blade in hand. Samar slowly stood and peered in the make-shift cribs to check on the twins. Both were sleeping peacefully. Minutes seemed like hours, but only two minutes later, Lucien had sleepily walked into his parents' bedroom. Upon his mother's request, he closed and locked the door. He then crawled into his dad's side of the bed, and after snuggling under the bed furs, went back to sleep. Samar couldn't help but smile lovingly at her little jester. She couldn't help but wonder if one of the twins would be just like her.

She slipped in next to Lucien and pulled him a bit closer to her, kissing his forehead and smoothing his hair.

"It seems as though Cicero has been replaced."

Samar rolled her eyes as Cicero pretended to be hurt. He must have picked the lock.

"He is a lot cuter," she teased. "Did you take care of them?"

"Of course!" he scoffed. "Only one thief. Cicero put the dining room table in front of the door and yelled at the guards for being so lazy."

"Cicero?" she asked softly as the fool slipped into the bed on the other side of Lucien. "Do you think...the Stormcloaks...do you think that the Stormcloaks want Lucien because of his thu'um?"

"Cicero believes that it's possible," he said slowly, but then gave a wicked smile. "But Divines bless those who try to mess with the children of assassins!"

"Very true," Samar said with a smile. Cicero gave a dark chuckle.

"Plus, the boy and the Redguard have been teaching little Lucien with dull knives," he said with eyes sparkling in excitement. "Maybe it's time little Lucien had some Skyforge steel."

She looked down at the little boy in her arms, her firstborn baby. He was sleeping peacefully, but he was not as innocent as he looked. She saw how he took a demented joy in helping Nazir in the torture room, the way he loved helping make and sharpen knives, and not to mention his inappropriate comments and suggestions around the other Solitude children that she had to have numerous talks with him over. Samar was never sure if Lucien had picked these comments up from his father, or if he was truly insane like him.

_"Let's kill someone!" Lucien had squealed, followed by a little demented giggle when his playmates wondered what they do. This was one of the many statements he had said that caused the other parents to not allow their children to play with Lucien.  
_

_"Ho ho ho, he he he, break that lute across my knee, and if the bard should choose to fight, why then I'll set his clothes alight!" he had sang as he skipped, hand in hand with his mother when they passed the Bard College and into town. _

_"Mommy, the court needs a jester. It's so dull there without other children. But not me, though. Daddy would be perfect! But he says he's too busy caring for us and the Night Mother."_

"We'll stop in Whiterun before we head to Dawnstar," Samar said. "Maybe it is time for Lucien to have some Skyforge steel."

* * *

_Nazir and Babette,_

_I gave birth to twins, a boy named Vicente and a girl named Amaya. We're headed towards Whiterun before we head for Dawnstar. Lucien accidentally showed his power of the thu'um in public, and a month afterwards, our home was broken into. Nobody was hurt, but Cicero and I fear that the Stormcloak army wants Lucien for this power to gain the upper-hand in the war. Even if it wasn't the war, who's to say that bandits or somebody even worse wants him for this power? We're getting Lucien his first dagger, some Skyforge steel. We're headed straight home afterwards._

_Kill well and often,_

_Samar_

She paid the courier, who beamed at the generous amount and then he took off as Cicero loaded up their wagon. Lucien helped carry blankets, baby clothing and pillows while Cicero handled the heavy items. While they did this, Samar fed, burped and changed the twins.

Cicero arranged some pillows and blankets to form two little areas that the twins could sleep in, and another bigger one for Lucien to lay down in. But instead of laying down, Lucien was peering out the side of the wagon, chatting away with the snoozing twins about what he saw, how they were going to love the Sanctuary and about their family in Dawnstar. Samar sat next to Cicero in the driver's seat, turning her head to check on the twins and Lucien every five minutes or so.

"Relax, Samar," he said, putting a hand on her cheek to make her look at him as opposed to checking on them again. "They'll be fine. Cicero will protect and take good care of you all."

"I know you will," she said softly, kissing him. He grinned and turned his attention to Shadowmere. She scooted closer and leaned into him. In response he wrapped an arm around her. "You're a good husband."

"EW!" Lucien shrieked upon noticing his parents getting lovey-dovey. Cicero chuckled.

"You'll feel different when you find that special girl," Cicero told him, glancing back.

"No I won't," Lucien scowled. "Girls are icky."

Samar just giggled and leaned into Cicero more. A few hours later, they found themselves not too far from Whiterun, only another hour's ride. She glanced up ahead of them and saw an odd movement among the trees and bushes up ahead on the side of the road.

"Stop the wagon," she told Cicero. He gave her an odd look, but slowed Shadowmere down to a stop. Slipping out of the driver seat, she unhooked Shadowmere from the wagon, ignoring's Cicero question. Whispering into the horses ear, she let her go and the horse took off, neighing loudly as she ran towards the tree, stomping furiously. A loud cry and more stomping later, Cicero and Samar noticed a hand flop out of the bushes.

"Ambush," Cicero growled, taking out his dagger and jumping from the cart. He glanced in the back at a confused Lucien. "Lucien, stay here."

He nodded eagerly.

"I'll stay here, even if huge, scary frost spiders eat my face off!" he replied with an insane grin.

"Good boy," Cicero said, mirroring the grin. Samar resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This almost creepy likeness was the reason nobody had questioned if Cicero was really the father of the previously unmarried girl.

Shadowmere apparently stomped two others before seven others-_bandits_-appeared before them.

Cicero immediately charged them, which caught them by a slight surprise. They quickly snapped out of it after he slit the throats of two. Samar ran towards one and stabbed them in the chest, although she didn't escape a stab to the arm quick enough. Cicero was already stabbing the third bandit multiple times in the stomach. She quickly turned and killed two more with a hard swing of her blade, slitting a throat and embedding her knife deep into the chest of the second. The last one left a decent gash on Cicero's stomach, put Samar knocked the weapon from his hands. Cicero jumped him, sitting on his chest and putting his arms above his head.

"Who ordered you to attack us?" Samar hissed.

"Bandits attack those with wagons transporting goods," the lowly bandit chuckled. Cicero's eyes darkened as he let go out a hand. Before the bandit could punch him, Cicero had the ebony blade in his wrist and pinned him to the ground. The bandit howled with apin.

"Who ordered you to attack us?" Cicero repeated the question.

"The contract is in my pocket," he gasped, in too much pain to speak much. "It's from Ulfric Stormcloak."

Cicero took the piece of paper from the bandit's pocket and handed it to Samar.

_Orders from Ulfric Stormcloak_

_The Dragonborn's child has proved himself to have the power of the Thu'um. I want him. Bring him to me, alive and unharmed, and you will receive a payment of 50,000 septims. She is also rumored to be with a second child. Bring that one to me as well, and I will double your reward to 100,000 septims. The Dragonborn must stay alive, or you will not receive payment. If you bring me the Dragonborn as well, I will assure you that every bandit in your little clan will be set for life. The boy's father, the jester, must die. Bring me his jester attire as proof of his demise. If you do not bring this to me, you will not receive your pay.  
_

_Do not disappoint me.  
_

"Why does he want me?" Samar asked the bandit.

"I don't know," he whimpered. "I sincerely don't know! But I do know that he's got several others lined up if I fail. He really wants that kid. That's it, I know nothing more!"

Samar looked at him. He was telling the truth.

"To the Void?" Cicero asked Samar, looking up at her.

"To the Void," she echoed. Cicero nodded and pulled the knife from the man's wrist. In one quick movement, he stabbed his throat and the man died nearly instantly.

"What now?" Cicero wondered aloud, wiping his blade on the man's shirt.

"Let's head to Whiterun then decide," she said softly. "I don't want to run into anymore bandits...thieves...soldiers...whatever Ulfric has hired. At least in Whiterun, we'll be safer."

Cicero nodded. Samar collected Shadowmere, praising her heavily as she hooked the mare back up. Getting back in the driver's seat, they continued to Whiterun.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

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**I had such a problem writing this. I knew what I wanted, but yet I didn't know how to put it down. Rewrote this three times before I finally became somewhat happy with what I wrote. **

* * *

Lucien squealed excitably when Eorlund handed him his Skyforge steel dagger.

"Lucien...," his mother said a bit warningly as she shifted to hold Amaya in her other arm.

"Thank you!" he immediately told Eorlund. The old man smiled.

"I don't normally see children so young get their first real weapon," he commented curiously.

"I got mine when I was around his age," Samar said a bit thoughtfully. "Perhaps a tad older, but that's because I traveled often and needed to know how to protect myself when bandits raided." Eorlund nodded respectfully.

"Where are you folks headed?" he asked, taking another long sword and pounding at it with his hammer.

"Now? We're going home," Cicero responded. Vicente began to fuss slightly, but Cicero lightly bouncing the infant calmed him down. "Home to sweet, sweet Mother."

"Yes. We got jumped on our way here," Samar said, her voice cracking slightly with worry. "We're scared it'll happen again."

"If you're worried about being jumped again, I'm sure the Companions will lend an arm to escort you there," Eorlund suggested. "Especially since you have little ones with you."

Samar glanced at Lucien, who had wandered to stab the dirt next to the trail to the Skyforge. She then looked at Cicero. He shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll talk it over," he said.

* * *

"Listener, there will only be more," Cicero protested from his chair. They were in Breezehome, and the twins asleep in makeshift cribs in the couple's bedroom. Lucien was occupying himself with a playdate in the courtyards of Jorrvaskr. The couple themselves was downstairs, arguing. "Maybe we do need another pair of arms."

"We can protect our own kids!" she insisted, pacing the room. "We're Dark Brotherhood!"

"Listener, we're not just Dark Brotherhood anymore," he reminded her softly. "We're Mommy and Daddy. Cicero believes we can take every bandit, solider, and the undead and come out victorious. If it was just Cicero and Listener, Cicero would have never listened to Eorlund. But Cicero and Listener are not alone. They have Lucien, Vicente and Amaya. Cicero would rather swallow pride and ask the goody-two shoed Companions for help than risk anything happening to his children."

Samar felt awful. She truly felt the same, but it was killing her that things weren't the same. This was one of the reasons she had been fearful of being a mother.

"I'll go tomorrow," she said quietly. Cicero knew that it was killing her that they probably weren't enough to protect Lucien and the twins. He stood and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.

* * *

The next morning, she took Vicente with her. It would be nice to get a very early start on bonding with her youngest boy. Plus she didn't think Cicero would be able to handle two needy infants and a hyper young Lucien. She placed him in a beautiful basket she had gotten from Ysolda earlier that morning, then took her son with her to Jorrvaskr. As soon as she step foot in there, yelling and shouts brought her attention towards a brawl between two people. She watched carefully as she asked a woman sweeping off to the side about speaking with somebody from the Companions for assistance.

"The Harbringer can be found in his room," she said, nodding towards a door. "Pass that door, and just down the hall. If you get lost, Vilkas is bound to be down there. He can tell you where he is."

"Thank you," Samar replied. The woman nodded, focusing on her sweeping. Samar walked around and went down the stairs, opening the door. Walking down a hall, she began to hear voices. She headed in the direction of the voices until she hit a door. Samar pressed an ear to the door. Yup, they were coming from inside. She knocked lightly on the door.

"Come on it," a male voice called. Samar opened the door and walked inside the room. Two men sat before her, casually leaning on a small circle table and sipping mead. "I am Kodlak, Harbringer for the Companions. What can I do for you?"

"I have a request for the Companions," she responded. Kodlak nodded for her to continue. "My family traveled from here to Solitude. We were originally headed to Dawnstar, but our wagon was attacked by bandits. My husband managed to fight them off, but he found a contract on one. Somebody's out to take my children."

"Did you bring the contract?" the other man asked. Samar nodded and reached into her pouch to pull out the neatly folded paper. She handed it to Kodlak, who accepted it. His mouth moved as he silently read to himself. "Ah, you are Dragonborn?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly. "My oldest seems to be one as well. I'm afraid Ulfric wants to use him for the war. Once we get home, I'm sure my husband and family there can keep him safe. Dawnstar is such a small hold that nobody thinks much to look there. But I'm afraid that he'll take more drastic measures to take my children if we traveled alone. My younger children aren't that old, so I'm not certain if they have the Thu'um yet. I suspect they might, but I hope by the Divines that they don't."

"Then it would be an honor to escort you, Dragonborn. Did you bring one of the little Dragonborns with you?" the other man asked, motioning to her basket.

"Yes. My son, Vicente," Samar replied. Kodlak smiled.

"May I?" he asked. She nodded, so Kodlak gently removed Vicente from the basket and held him against his large form. The baby stirred, but didn't wake. "You know, Vilkas is going to be a father here in a few weeks."

'Vilkas' nodded.

"My wife is a few months along," he informed Samar.

"Congratulations," she told him sincerely with a smile.

"When will you be leaving for Dawnstar?" Kodlak asked, rubbing the baby's cheek with his finger.

"We're hoping to leave in two days early in the morning," Samar replied. "We live in Breezehome."

"In two days, I'll have two of the Companions there to greet you by the stables," he told her.

"How much gold will we owe you?" she asked.

"I would estimate around two hundred septims," he said slowly. "Not much more. It's an honor to escort the Dragonborn's family. Especially when they're as small and cute as this one. But one day he'll grow up, and I'm sure he'll be a strong and fearless warrior."

He motioned to Vicente, who was still sleeping peacefully, his tiny fists grasping onto the furs wrapped around her small form. Samar smiled at the two. Kodlak looked like he could be Vicente's grandfather.

"Let me guess. Your little Lucien was also the young lad who came over to play with Farkas's boy?" Kodlak asked. She nodded. "Haha. He's a strong little lad, had some Skyforge steel on him I saw. Let me tell you now, he gave our training dummies quite a thrashing. Nearly destroyed him. That lad is definitely stronger than he looks. I helped him engrave his steel too."

Samar smiled at the thought of her eldest pretty much ripping the training dummies apart. Just like Cicero would do. A few more moments later, Kodlak handed Vicente back to his mother. She accepted her son before walking home to tell her husband the news.

* * *

Samar returned to find her front door wide open. Her heart pounded with fear, immediately knowing that something horrible had happened. She pulled put her Blade of Woe and slowly walked inside, holding the basket closer to her body. Her blade ready to strike, she looked around carefully. Observant, assassin's eyes checked every little detail, listened for every small sound and check every corner of the downstairs before going upstairs.

She checked Lucien's room. It was empty. Grip tightening around the handle, she slowly opened the door to her and Cicero's room. She gasped and immediately set the basket on a dresser to tend to Cicero. He was on the floor, curled up on his side. Eerily similar to the way she found him years ago on the floor of the Dawnstar Sanctuary after Arnbrjn slashed his side. This time though, there was an arrow stuck in his chest, his eyes closed and barely breathing.

An arrow couldn't take down Cicero, could it? She pulled out the arrow to find it not covered in just his blood, but some bubbling green goop. Feeling sick to her stomach, she immediately forced a potion down her throat before grabbing the basket and running for help.

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**Yes, this is the last chapter. There is a sequel though. I'm almost done with the first chapter of it. Reasons behind a sequel is so that I can kind of change the pace and mood of the story, plus this story no longer really fits the summary I set for it.**


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